Breathless
by Langus
Summary: Sousuke and Kaname enjoy a lazy afternoon together, alone in her apartment. Rated for mature & lemony content. A multi-part one-shot. Complete.
1. A Simple Request

It was a lazy, hot afternoon in mid-August. School would be starting again soon, but not for a few more weeks. The dead humidity in the air created a hush over the city that reached the third floor of an apartment complex on the east side.

Inside apartment 309 the fridge hummed noisily. Idle conversation from a popular talk show drifted from the speakers of the TV to fill the living room. The answering machine blinked persistently next to the phone, a lone message left waiting to be heard.

Atop the couch next to the window, Kaname Chidori lay stretched out atop her bodyguard Sousuke Sagara. The summer heat clung to their bodies making their clothes feel damp and their skin sticky, but neither paid it any mind.

Kaname's sock clad foot reached up to scratch a wayward itch on the back of her slender calf. Her cheek pressed firmly against the damp material of his camouflage green t-shirt and she let out a tired sigh.

"Sousuke?"

"Yes Kaname?"

His tone was just as quiet and lazy sounding as hers. It barely broke above the banter coming from the TV. A commercial for dish cleaner came on, sounding too loud in the tiny apartment. Kaname reached down with unhurried movements and plucked the remote off the floor. With a flick of her wrist the TV clicked off and the remote dropped back onto the rug.

"I've been thinking…," she began and then paused, not sure how to continue. She sensed rather than heard his gentle urging, telling her to go on. His hand abandoned its spot atop the couch cushion and repositioned itself behind his head. She could feel him looking at her as he waited expectantly for her to finish her thought. She swallowed, noticing the way the air felt thick from the humidity.

It'd sounded perfectly reasonable in her mind but now that she'd begun to voice her thoughts aloud she wasn't so sure. What if he said no? She enjoyed spending lazy afternoons like this one with him. Was it worth jeopardizing the comfortable familiarity of the routine they'd slipped in to?

"Kaname?"

She nibbled nervously at her bottom lip before sucking it into her mouth.

"Sousuke… Do you think that group Amalgam - do you think they'll come after me again?"

His arm tightened imperceptibly across her back. She felt him swallow and knew he was choosing his words carefully. After a long pause, "Yes. They know you are Whispered now. It's almost certain they will attempt another abduction."

His thumb moved gently along her spine in a comforting gesture. She felt the damp pressure of his hand through the thin material of her jersey tee and her fingers clawed into folds of camouflage green.

"But you're going to protect me this time right? They won't be able to take me again because you'll be here to stop them?"

She felt him nod. His arm tightened again. "Affirmative."

Kaname lifted her head from his chest and offered him an encouraging smile. A high ponytail kept the heavy weight of her hair off her neck but a few rebellious tendrils stuck to her skin anyhow. Her toffee-hued eyes caught his gaze and something passed between them – an understanding of sorts.

_It won't be like last time. _

_I'll never leave you alone like that again. _

_I trust you._

Her face became thoughtful as she studied him. The look in his eyes told her he was smiling.

"Sousuke…"

"Yes Kaname?"

"I… I have a favour to ask."

She quickly averted her gaze and hid the blush that coloured her cheeks against the green cotton shirt she'd been using for a pillow. The heartbeat beneath her cheek was strong and steady in her ear. Her hand came up slowly and pressed against his chest until she could feel the pulsing rhythm against her palm too. This wasn't a dream - they really had made it out of Hong Kong alive.

"Sousuke…" she began again quietly. "Will you… be my first?"

"First what Kaname?"

Her cheeks flushed crimson at the innocent intonation of his words. Her head buried even further against his chest to hide the tell-tale redness of her face from view. She closed her eyes in defeat. She really should have known better. There wasn't a lascivious bone in his body. With a gentle cough she cleared her throat.

"Sousuke… I want you to be the first guy to… It's just - you never know with these terrorists what they're going to do and I don't want my first time to be with someone like that. I always thought it should be kinda special, ya know? And if my first time is with you I know I won't regret it. I won't have to worry what would happen if-"

Her heart thrummed noisily in her ears. She felt sick, dizzy and strangely giddy all at once.

"Kaname…"

She could feel his heart pounding against her cheek – steady, hard and faster than before. He shifted and she could feel the way his muscles tightened beneath her. She became acutely aware of the intimate way their bodies were entwined and how they melded into each other, like they'd been built to fit together all along. She shook her head at his words. Why did he have to be so hard-headed at a time like this?

"You've always protected me Sousuke, but what if you get called away again? I worry sometimes about what'll happen if it ever comes to that. Last time…"

Her mind flashed back to that night on the rooftop; rain soaked, dressed in nothing but panties and a dirtied up hotel robe. Her body had shivered from the cold and even more from the silver-haired demon's kiss. Leonard Testarossa had stolen her first kiss and he could have stolen much more had he been so inclined. She didn't want him to be able to steal anything else from her, at least not this.

"What happened last time?" Sousuke demanded suddenly. His fingers bit into her shoulder and there was an underlying panic in his tone.

"Nothing happened," she reassured him with a shake of her head. "You don't have to worry. It's just that last time made me think about what _could_ happen if I was ever taken by them again. I don't want to remember my first time like that. I want… I want it to be with you, here, where I feel safest."

He swallowed hard and his heart beat impossibly fast against her hand. She could hear his shaky breaths above her head and smiled inwardly. When he spoke, the hesitation in his voice was obvious. It seemed he was finally starting to understand what she was asking of him.

"Kaname… I'm not so sure."

She glanced up, her gaze serious yet hopeful. The strong, practically invincible sergeant who didn't blink in the face of enemy gunfire and nuclear weapons grew tense when their eyes met. His grey eyes widened and he looked away after a quick second, his chest rising and falling noticeably with each breath. Though his words suggested otherwise, she knew she wouldn't have to ask him again.

"Are you sure? With me I mean…," he faltered. "Wouldn't you prefer someone with a little more expertise in this area? Like Kurz or maybe-"

Kaname groaned and pressed her forehead to his. It felt surprisingly cool against the touch of her heated skin. His hand slipped down to rest on the small of her back. When she spoke, her words were slow and deliberate; she didn't want to take any chances at misinterpretation.

"No, stupid. I don't want someone with more expertise - I want you. I trust only you, remember? You've always protected me Sousuke. Protect this part of me too."

The rotating fan in the corner of the room clicked with each pass, blowing heavy, damp air in their direction. Even with the sliding door open the apartment felt stifling. Outside, the sounds of traffic along the street were minimal and the steady rush of the cars soothing. Cicadas were singing in the August heat, their symphony nearly drowning out the noise of the urban landscape around them. Kaname's eyes fell on the potted plant in the corner; its leaves looked wilted and lifeless. She made a mental note to water it before she went to bed.

A subtle movement from Sousuke drew her attention back to him. His hand moved again, slowly easing its way up her back. It stopped just beneath the curve where her bra strap rested under her shoulder blades. His fingertips tapped nervously against her skin and she listened intently to the sound of his heart, its sure, steady rhythm soothing her nerves. He had that effect on her.

He pulled in a shaky breath before letting it out again. When he finally spoke his tone was certain and Kaname smiled against his chest.

"Okay."

* * *

_Author's Note: _Welcome to part one of my three part ficlet! Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far. I'd also like to extend a very BIG thank you to Azurite for being kind enough to beta this chapter for me :)


	2. Borders and Boundaries

Kaname sat on the bed with her feet tucked under her and stared anywhere but at the boy standing by her cluttered desk. The room felt too warm despite the air conditioner buzzing in the window. Water dripped steadily, one drop at a time, from the contraption into its catch basin.

A light sheen of sweat clung to her skin and made her clothes feel damp. She glanced out the window at the setting sun and self-consciously tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

Biting her lip, she looked up at him hesitantly, her gaze guarded. She was relieved to see that he looked as nervous as she felt. He hadn't moved from his position next to her desk and refused to meet her gaze.

Clearing her throat, she shuffled closer to the edge of the bed.

"So…um…"

She faltered, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Do you have…ah…any experience with this sort of thing?" There was a strong dose of hopefulness in her tone.

"Negative."

His response was clipped. It sounded too regimented to her ears – like he was her lieutenant and she was his drill sergeant. She masked her disappointment with a long glance out the window.

Silence ensued. The apartment felt uncomfortably quiet. The lazy hum of the city, the comforting goings on of the outside world, had somehow been lost in the transition between the living room and here. The sound of a dog barking made its way through her window and she found herself wondering if an RK-92 or an M9 were hovering nearby. Mao had told her once that dogs had a thing about them, always barked whenever they were around.

Her eyes followed a droplet of sweat curling its way down the side of his tanned face. It disappeared somewhere beneath his chin and he didn't make a move to wipe it away.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, hoping he'd say something that would soothe her frazzled nerves. She may seem all confidence and assertion at school and when she spoke to him on a normal day, but she was just as insecure as the next girl. Her hands were trembling against her bedspread and she quickly hid them beneath her thighs.

He seemed to relax a little. His shoulders lost their rigid edge at least, but he wouldn't look her way. His grey eyes remained focused on the apartments across the street. It was like he was searching for something. Then, just as easily as that, he blinked and his voice filled the tiny room.

"There are two possible sniping positions."

He took a step towards the window and clasped his hands behind his back. He slipped into his role like a well worn leather glove. It fit him and he was used to its embrace. He didn't notice the look of hurt confusion that crossed her features, which was just as well since she was quick to hide it.

Oblivious, he continued: "Also, should we need to escape through the window due to fire, explosion or ambush, the air conditioning unit will be troublesome to remove in a timely fashion. The patio door has been left unlocked in the next room as well, providing easy access to any would be assassins, stalkers, or robbers. There is-,"

Her tired sigh cut him off and he took in her dejected expression.

"-Nevermind...," he finished sheepishly.

She looked away, not wanting him to see the disappointment on her features. A part of her had hoped to hear something enlightening, maybe even a little endearing, but instead he'd been himself. Her shoulders tensed around her ears and she inwardly winced at her own presumptuousness. She couldn't exactly hold it against him. He was what he was and she'd accepted it a long time ago.

"Kaname," he began seriously, "are you sure you want to do this?"

It was about the third time he'd asked. How many times did she have to tell him before he heard her? She was tempted to throw her hands up in frustration but pressed them against her thighs instead. Her skin felt clammy and overheated. She couldn't wait to have a cool shower and wash the lingering summer heat from her body.

"Yeah, I do," she confessed for the third and hopefully final time. Suddenly realization hit like an electric shock and she looked up at him startled. "Do you?"

He didn't answer at first. She watched the lines of tension around his mouth and the sudden clenching of his fists at his sides. Another droplet of sweat snaked its way down his cheek. When an eternity had passed, real time a full minute, she let her gaze fall away and exhaled the breath she'd been holding. When had he ever suggested to her that she was anything more to him than a close friend? The word tasted bitter in her mouth, but she realized now that she should have known better.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, guilt weighing heavily in her words.

She hadn't meant to put him in such an awkward position. She hadn't even thought things through this far ahead. Her mind had been all idealism and romance with no room for reality. It felt too real now, too harsh, and it scared her. The minute hand of her chicken clock ticked loudly in her left ear. She glanced over and took note of the time. It was already past 7. He'd be leaving soon anyhow.

With a shrug she stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in her shorts. She avoided looking at Sousuke as she made her way towards the door. It'd been a mistake to bring him here, to this no man's land. The best thing to do now was return to the living room where the territory was safe and familiar. Besides, the bedroom was beginning to make her feel claustrophobic with all the tension weighing down the air.

As she stepped by him he didn't spare a glance for her. The sting of unrequited affection had made her mouth turn try and she longed for a cool drink to wash it down. Her mind was on the fridge when he grabbed hold of her wrist. His fingers felt warm and heavy and tightened just enough to stop her departure.

Her shoulders fell. She couldn't bear to face the awkward discussion that was sure to follow. Couldn't they just go back to watching TV and lose themselves to the gentle hum of the city? Couldn't they just forget she'd ever been so stupid as to try and ask him to…

It was no use. Life would never be that uncomplicated. Not wanting to drag it out any further, she turned and braced herself for the look that would be in his eyes; the soft rejection, the guilt and the something else she could never quite place.

And then his lips were on hers, pressed against them in a gentle, insistent touch. She blinked at him, her eyes growing wide, but then his other hand slipped around her waist to draw her in close and her surprise melted away. It didn't take much for her to give in to the burning rush. Fire coursed through her veins, hot and unforgiving, until it reached the tips of her toes and made her head spin. With her free hand she clutched at the material of his camouflage tee to keep from drowning and felt the ramming pulse of his heartbeat against her fingers. Her own heart was rushing loudly in her ears forcing the rest of the world into the background.

For the moment the rest of it didn't matter, not the dog barking outside her window or the incessant chime of the clock in the hall announcing it was 7:10. The back of her calf itched again, that same darn spot, but she ignored it, along with the tickle of sweat dripping down the back of her neck.

It wasn't how she'd envisioned their first kiss but it suited him, sweet and unpredictable. His touch was tender, humble, not demanding anything more than what she was willing to give. It was a far cry from the kiss Leonard had stolen from her on that building rooftop in the rain.

_There are two kinds of women in this world…_

His words echoed loudly in her mind and she stopped the shudder of revulsion that threatened to shake her. She'd always known they were two completely different breeds of men, but this kiss confirmed it. The knowledge made her feel almost drunk with relief.

Sousuke gingerly pulled away, his chest rising beneath her hand with each pull of breath. She glanced up at him, her lips still tingling from his touch, and felt a smile turn the corners of her mouth. He looked positively terrified.

"Kaname! Forgive me. I-I shouldn't have…"

She cut him off with the press of her hand against his lips. His words died away and she noticed with a smile that he was still holding her against him, one hand around her wrist, the other around her waist. If he noticed he didn't appear inclined to let go.

"That was nice," she confessed of the kiss as a blush tinted her cheeks rosy pink. Her confidence abandoned her then, leaving her stranded amidst the tide of questions slowly creeping up to drown her.

"It's not what you think," he confessed suddenly. He looked perplexed as his eyes searched the delicate features of her face. Her brow knit together in confusion. He looked away from her, heaving a frustrated sigh.

"It's too risky. I can't protect you if I'm unarmed."

She glanced past his shoulder at the window, looking thoughtful.

"Two sniping positions huh? How do we take care of those? Close the blinds?"

He nodded unsteadily, his movements jerky and uncoordinated like he was unsure of himself. "And move to the floor," he interjected as an afterthought.

She shot him a dubious look but slowly nodded her head in agreement and glanced over his other shoulder at her bed. The chicken clock appeared to wink back at her. Her mouth frowned at the printed bedspread that taunted her with its juvenility. With a look of determination she stepped out of his embrace and his hands fell to his sides.

"Right. Well in that case, you take care of the windows and I'll set up the bed on the floor."

He nodded slowly, a look of anxious realization coming across his features. He stepped over to the windows, quiet like a cat, and pulled the hanging strings to close the blinds. They snapped shut, instantly blocking out what was left of the tired daylight. An orange glow warmed the room through the translucent coverings and splashed a fresh coat of sunset hue across the walls.

Kaname slipped the comforter off her bed and spread it out atop the tatami-matted floor in a flourish. She contemplated its lonely appearance and hastily tossed two pillows to the floor to join it. With that finished, she cast a quick glance over her shoulder at Sousuke and saw him standing at the window mulling over the air conditioner.

"Don't worry about the air conditioner," she reassured him. "It's not in there very tight. One good kick and it'll fall three stories to the pavement."

Sousuke turned towards her and nodded before hesitantly stepping away. She felt his eyes on her as she finished up with the pillows and got to her feet. A moment earlier the room had felt too small and claustrophobic and now suddenly she was impressed by its cavernous nature. Everything seemed to echo as though there wasn't enough stuff to fill all the space hanging between them. Eager for a distraction she glanced out her bedroom door towards the living room.

"Oh right! I forgot the patio door!"

She slipped into the hall, her socked feet quiet like a thief against the matted floor, and made her way into the living room. With a dull click the patio door was locked tight. She took a moment to glance out the large window at the city below. A couple of cars meandered along the street, a few couples dotted the sidewalk on an evening stroll, just your typical night. The smog from the city had turned the sky fuchsia and rose. That sunset really was beautiful.

Across the way, just outside her front door Sousuke's apartment lingered. A warm sensation spread outward from her chest as her mind travelled wistfully to the boy waiting for her in the next room. She snapped the hanging blinds closed and ventured into the kitchen to grab a couple of drinks; iced tea for herself, water for him. He only ever drank water.

On the walk back to her bedroom the ice cubes clinked loudly in their glasses. It felt muted in her apartment now that they'd shut out the world. The hue of her bedroom walls had melted from clementine orange to peach, but the change suited her just fine.

Pushing at some textbooks hanging off the edge of her desk with the bottom of her glass, she cleared a small space and set it down. The water she held out to Sousuke. He glanced at it briefly before accepting it from her with a gracious nod. She watched as he took a tentative sip and lowered it to his side without putting it down. She caught him glancing at an old test she'd left laying around. He didn't look surprised to see the near-perfect grade staring back at him.

The air conditioner clicked off and heaved one last breath before coming to a shuddering halt in the corner. The dog had stopped barking outside too. The silence stretched between them like a deep gulf she didn't know how to cross.

For lack of anything better to do, she picked up the iced tea and took a sip. The ice cubes had already melted and left it tasting watered down. She wished she hadn't added so many. She set it back on the desk and glanced towards the window while he thumbed through one of her old history textbooks. They were both doing their best to avoid the big pink elephant standing in the middle of her room, or in this case, the rather suggestively placed make-shift bed on the floor.

_Is it always like this?_ she wondered and glanced at him with a dubious frown. Sighing in resignation she scratched at the back of her head where the sweat had made her scalp itch and gave him an empathetic look.

"Look…Sousuke…We don't _have_ to do this. I mean I shouldn't even have asked. We can just forget I ever mentioned it!"

Her last suggestion was punctuated by a false happy lilt that didn't sound convincing, even to her own ears. She'd hoped her words would soothed the tension a bit and put him at ease but they seemed to have the opposite effect. His hand fisted at his side again and his voice sounded forced when he spoke, like it took a lot of effort to push the words out.

"It's not that. Kaname…" he glanced up at her and their eyes met. He still looked uncertain but frustrated too, and there was something else lingering in those cloudy grey depths.

She didn't realize he'd moved until his arms were wrapped around her. Her cheek was suddenly nestled against his chest, his heart pounding strong in her ear. His arms held her tight, but not too tight; just enough to feel possessive without being suffocating. It felt nice to have him hold her like this. She wished he'd do it more often. There was no sound at all now except his heart and the rhythm of his uneven breaths in her ear.

"I've never had someone like you before," he began, sounding unsure of his words. "I want to help you but I-I don't know how. Tell me where to start Kaname. What do I do?"

Speechless, she gathered his shirt into her fingers and held him close, breathing in his subtle scent. He smelled clean and fresh despite the heat, like detergent and fabric softener. She closed her eyes, just for a moment, to bask in the sense of relief that flooded over her. His hesitation made sense to her now, more keenly than he was probably aware, and she appreciated him all the more for it.

"Sousuke… Can you…get rid of all your weapons?"

With a wry smile she remembered the mountain of weapons he kept stored on his person at all times. Would he put them away, just this once, for her? She worried her lip nervously while awaiting his response. She felt his head nod before he pulled away.

"Affirmative."

The look in his eyes wasn't tumultuous like it'd been before. He seemed comfortable with the idea of disarming in front of her, a realization which made her heart beat erratically inside her chest. She watched as he took out piece after piece and set it atop the clutter on her desk. A flash of yellow entwined with black caught her eye and she stared fixedly at the taser lounging across her math textbook.

_I've used that one before…that night on the rooftop._

The memories swam back, plucked from the fog of her unconscious. She could vividly recall the heavy weight of the soaking wet robe hanging on her shoulders, the fear that felt so strong it'd made her sick, her erratic, desperate movements and the cold air burning in her lungs. The cold felt so real, even now, that she shivered in spite of herself and rubbed at the goose bumps forming along her arms.

Finished disarming, Sousuke glanced between her and the pile of weapons sitting between them expectantly. On some level she realized how big a step this was for him, realized it meant that he trusted her enough to do it, but she couldn't pull her mind out of the past. It was stuck there, the memories playing over and over again on a feedback loop. The touch of his hands on her shoulders brought her mind back to the present.

"Kaname?"

She shot him an encouraging smile and shook her head, dismissing his concern. The dying summer heat that'd once felt stifling no longer seemed able to warm her. She stumbled forward into him and buried her face against his chest, hiding it from view. His arms settled heavily around her shoulders, pulling her in close. For a minute at least all she needed was this – him to hold her, to share his warmth, and provide her with the reassuring, tangible proof that it'd all turned out okay.

When she'd composed herself enough to pull away she glanced away from him embarrassed, thankful that the fading sunset had filled her room with indigo shadows. She felt his eyes on her, his gaze prodding and invasive. He wanted to ask what was wrong but hesitated. She could feel it in the touch of his fingertips as they swept along her jaw. His thumb whispered across her cheek, pulling away with it a solitary tear she hadn't felt fall.

"Kiss me," she breathed suddenly and turned her gaze upwards to meet his.

It was hard for her to miss the quiet gasp pulled into his lungs or the way his head nodded subtly in response. All she needed was one more kiss to bring her back into the present and make her forget what'd happened that night. Her body leaned forward ever so subtly, craving the feeling of his lips on hers. It yearned for the comforting fire that'd heated her from the inside out and set her heart racing.

He drew close, his movements painfully slow and deliberate. His hand dropped to settle against her hip, and he bent ever so slightly to bring his mouth within reach. He hesitated before pressing a soft, delicate peck against her lips. Not satisfied with that fleeting touch he returned quickly and captured them again with more confidence than before.

Kaname rose onto her tiptoes and slipped her arms around his neck. The hand resting against her hip slid slowly down her body and hooked under her knees, stealing her feet out from under her. She was so lost in the kiss, its warmth, its neediness, and the sweet teasing movements of his tongue against hers, that she hardly noticed he was moving towards the floor until the cool softness of the comforter pressed against the overheated skin of her back.

She gasped suddenly and pulled away, startled to find herself lying atop their makeshift bed. Sensing her apprehension, he pulled back to give her space though his hand boldly lingered across her thigh. Kaname smiled sheepishly at her overreaction and turned into him. He was waiting patiently for her and his lips found hers easily despite the darkness that'd settled over them. The hand stroking her thigh slid slowly, questioningly, overtop her shorts and slipped beneath her jersey tee. There it stopped, perhaps too timid to press on, and grazed the taut muscles of her stomach.

When she pulled away to catch her breath she could feel the anticipation building within him, smouldering beneath his cool exterior like hot coals in a fire. He bent his head low and placed a light kiss against her shoulder. She turned her head to the side and he settled one along her neck.

"Kaname?" he whispered. His voice sounded huskier than usual to her ears, and it hinted at something suggestive. His hands moved across her body but his touch was hesitant and unsure. Reluctant to ruin the moment she made a sound of acknowledgement in the back of her throat.

He pulled in a shaky breath as if steeling himself to go on. His hand stopped its exploration of her stomach and she felt the warmth of his breath tickle the skin of her neck when he spoke.

"What do I do next?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well that was part deux. I would like to thank Ranma15177, serenity03, and Melanie for reviewing part one. Your words of encouragement were greatly appreciated. The lemony stuff is the next chapter…no more dilly dallying I promise. Please leave a note and let me know what you think.

Until next time…

Langus


	3. A Whispered Name and A Heart That Races

Night snuck up on them like a thief, stealing away the comforting warmth of daylight to leave only unspoken words and shadows in its wake. The soft symphony of night-time insects meandered through the partially open window and a blanket of darkness enveloped the room. In the quiet all that could be heard were two sets of breaths, rapid, soft and barely audible, from the pair entwined atop the makeshift bed on the floor.

Kaname tunnelled her hand into his tousled hair while he pressed another soft kiss to her neck. She enjoyed the texture of the strands as they slipped between her fingers and silently mused that he was almost due for another haircut. He shifted closer. The solid weight of his body pressed so intimately against hers set her heart racing.

She hadn't answered his previous question. She'd let it slip by as though he hadn't said a word, but now it quietly echoed in her mind. His question taunted her, vividly reminding her of her ignorance.

She knew how it went in romance novels. The hero swooped in, kissed the girl hard and swept her off her feet into blissful oblivion. Those books were the extent of Kaname Chidori's experience with all things romance related and she felt it more acutely now than ever before.

_What will he think if I say I don't know?_

Her stomach made an unnerving acrobatic flip.

_What if I can't please him? _

Her confidence tanked and she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

_What if-what if I'm horrible at it? _

She tensed suddenly at his touch and he pulled away.

"Kaname? What is it?"

Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes but she quickly blinked them away. _Why does it have to be so hard with him?_ She blew out a sigh of resignation, already knowing the answer to her own quest. _Because he's Sousuke, of course._ When were things ever easy with him?

The back of his hand ghosted across her cheek and encouraged a smile to her lips. His cautious touch, the hesitancy in his movements, even his kisses, spoke volumes of his experience (or lack thereof) with women. She found that realization oddly comforting. He wouldn't be comparing her to a multitude of past conquests or judging her abilities against some impossible measure – for tonight, at least, they could finally be on equal ground.

In the prolonged silence his hand moved tentatively across her hip. While her mind whirled away his thumb slipped discreetly beneath her shirt to graze the smooth skin of her stomach. He was being so _careful_. She pulled in a shaky breath and quickly let it out again.

"It's too dark in here. I-I feel weird not being able to see you. Can we…turn on a light or something?"

She felt him nod and he pulled away from her with a relieved sounding, "Not a problem."

He stood quickly and she followed the sound of his soft footsteps to the far corner of the room. He walked with confidence, never missing a step despite the fact that the dark was almost impenetrable. In his absence the cool night air whispered across her skin and sent a shiver of goose bumps down her arms. She sat up and hugged her knees into her chest to keep warm, noting how the spots where he'd touched her continued to burn.

_Snap_.

Warm yellow light flooded the room from a solitary tall lamp in the corner. Sousuke stood next to it, his hand lingering on the switch. Their eyes met across the bed and he managed an odd sort of half smile before glancing away from her to the covered windows. Kaname's gaze followed his and she considered them thoughtfully for a moment.

"It's okay because we're on the floor right?" she asked suddenly, guessing at his train of thought.

He seemed to be thinking it over, considering all the possibilities and measuring the risks. While he was distracted she took the opportunity to let her gaze travel over him. His hair was tousled, sticking upright at interesting angles from where she'd run her fingers through it and his t-shirt clung suggestively to his chest, mapping out each muscle and curve. Her mouth suddenly went dry and her palms felt clammy where they were wrapped around her shins.

Apparently agreeing with her assessment of the window situation Sousuke moved back towards the "bed." His steps were uncharacteristically self-conscious and hesitant. He stopped abruptly at the edge of the blanket and stared down at it as though it was an invisible line he wasn't permitted to cross. He contemplated it in silence, blinked, then slowly and deliberately turned and sat cross-legged in front of her.

"Sousuke?"

"There is no problem."

He sounded unsteady, his voice holding a sort of false confidence. She couldn't be sure if it was for her benefit or his own that he used it now. She really hoped he wasn't having second thoughts. After sharing a kiss like that…it'd be impossible for them to slip back into their old routine now. Too much had been said and even more left unsaid by his touch.

His kiss had told her something he'd never been able to express before and perhaps never would. She meant something to him – what exactly she couldn't be sure, but there was a part of him that desired her. There was a part of her that desired him too, a very big part now that she thought about it.

She glanced at him discreetly out of the corner of her eye. His back was rigid and his hands were pressed in tight fists atop his knees. Somewhere between the bed and the lamp the spell had broken. Everything about his posture screamed hesitation to her in vibrant technicolour. The sheets beside her were growing cold and the warmth of his touch had all but evaporated from her skin.

_Is this it? _she wondered, tasting disappointment. Or did she have the courage to make the first move?

Her eyes remained focused on his profile as she slipped a tentative finger inside the top of her sock and pried it off her foot. With a flick of her wrist it was tossed towards the hamper. It fell short, fluttering to the tatami floor in a white, limp heap. A few seconds later it was followed by her other sock. Sousuke's back went rigid.

Her heart raced wildly inside her chest as she snapped open the clasp of her watch. It dropped into her waiting hand and was deposited on her bedside table. The metallic links jingled quietly against the wood grain and the sound resounded between them with a sense of finality.

Feeling Sousuke's probing gaze on her she suddenly felt self-conscious of her movements. Curling her hands into fists, she pressed them against her thighs, mimicking his posture, and concentrated on quieting the blush of embarrassment burning her cheeks.

_Why's he staring at me like that? _she wondered, not daring to look up.

Her eyes followed the linear pattern of the stitching on her comforter until it disappeared into a fold. The silence stretching between was something of epic proportions. Somehow, she didn't think it was supposed to be this awkward. Where was the romance? Where were the sweet words and gentle touches?

When he didn't appear to be making any moves to follow her lead, she felt her confidence wither. She scratched idly at a wayward itch near her elbow and a defeated sigh fell from her lips. She should've known better – it was Sousuke after all. A chiding voice inside her head reminded her of this fact and she begrudgingly accepted the truth. _Like he'd ever actually-_

A flash of camouflage green flew silently past her line of sight. She glanced up just in time to watch Sousuke's t-shirt land atop her socks on the floor. Eyes wide, she turned towards him and took in the shirtless sergeant sitting in front of her. It was nothing she hadn't seen before but somehow the fact that they were in her bedroom, sitting atop a makeshift bed, with no one else around, made the whole thing so overtly sexual she didn't know how to respond.

She noted the heavy rise and fall of his chest as her eyes panned over the plains of his torso – chest, stomach and shoulders were all bare before her eyes. She allowed herself, just this once, to shamefully admire his soldier's body. Every muscle was lean and defined, sculpted from years of combat and training. Scars dotted the landscape, some more pronounced than others; each one remnant of a battle or some other dangerous mission.

Her eyes lingered on a jagged scar that cut across the left side of his stomach. It was in the same place where the piece of shrapnel had pierced him during the hi-jacking incident. It was no more than a white snaking line now but seeing it there, prominently standing out against his tanned skin, made her heart squeeze inside her chest.

That scar… He'd received that one from protecting her. If she asked him about it he'd brush it off as something inconsequential. "It was nothing more than a minor flesh wound," he'd say, but she knew better. He'd walked for miles through the forest with that piece of metal sticking out of him and yet he hadn't complained, not even once.

Her eyes tentatively lifted to meet his and she was struck by what she saw. There was vulnerability in them, something she'd never seen from him before, and it unnerved her as much as it comforted her. She offered him a small smile as realization dawned on her. The battlefield he knew – it was this one that was giving him trouble.

Her hands hesitated only a moment before she lifted them, dragging her t-shirt up over her head. The cool air washed instantly against her overheated skin, even more so when she tossed the navy blue jersey tee out of arms reach. It landed with a sense of finality atop Sousuke's discarded shirt and she brought her hands up to cover her naked shoulders.

The day's dogged humidity seemed to have evaporated completely with the night, as though it'd never been there at all. She glanced hesitantly at her sergeant. His hands were still fisted against his thighs and his eyes refused to look in her direction. She noticed the way he swallowed thickly and the beads of sweat that gathered along his brow despite the cool night air meandering about the room.

She self-consciously hugged her knees into her chest and rested her cheek atop them. The vibrant chicken clock ticked noisily in her ear, counting the seconds of silence. The light in the corner flickered and dimmed, a subtle reminder that it was almost time to replace the bulb.

"Kaname…I-," he muttered in a low voice.

It was all he could manage before his throat constricted and sealed shut. He hadn't expected her to make the first move. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, but his words remained trapped there and refused to rise to the surface. His eyes lifted to meet hers. Those twin calming seas were so trusting and vibrant that he easily lost himself as they pulled him beneath their swift undertow.

She gave him a curious look and smiled hesitantly. "Me too," she confessed and hugged her knees tighter.

"Do you think…"

"That maybe we could figure it out together?" she prompted, finishing his thought for him.

He nodded once and breathed a grateful sigh at having been spared the awkwardness of confessing such a thing. Her eyes never left his as she lifted her head from her knees. The rest of her body followed, slowly unwinding itself limb by limb. There was a sort of half smile on her lips as she crawled towards him across the floor. The breath stuck in his throat and his eyes widened.

_How should I respond?_

The soft press of her lips came as an unexpected, yet welcome, relief. Her touch was gentle, pliant, delicious; it intoxicated his senses enough to make his head swim. That single fleeting touch left him with an unrelenting craving for more. He wanted to explore her and feel the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips. He wanted all of these things and more, but his body remained paralyzed.

He'd dedicated his entire life to training and battle. Every piece of equipment he used came with a manual. Every mission had a plan of action with a specific target and escape route. He'd prepared himself for every possible situation, trained for every scenario – except this one. Now that they were alone he hadn't a clue what to do or where to begin. What was acceptable? What wasn't? What did she want him to say? What did she expect him to know? His mind reeled with unanswered questions, each one stealing away another shred of his confidence.

When she pulled away from the kiss he slowly opened his eyes and swallowed. She must've been able to read the fear in his gaze because she offered him an encouraging smile and shimmied backwards across the blankets. He pulled in a shaky breath and followed her, his movements slow and clumsy compared to hers.

His hands stopped on either side of her head next to the pillow and he peered down at her, his gaze silently asking her to guide him. Wordlessly, her fingers slipped around his forearms and her thumb caressed the inside of his wrist. It brushed delicately overtop the staccato rhythm of his pulse in silent acknowledgement. She cast a relieved smile up at him, a secret understanding passing from her eyes to his. He bent his head low and pressed his lips to hers.

The feeling of her hands drifting across his naked chest was an unexpected shock to his senses. Her delicate touch slipped easily over his exposed skin, leaving a trail of tingling flesh in its wake. Her fingers explored every muscle, every curve, as though she were trying to map his body through touch alone.

Her hand lingered near one scar in particular, fingertips dabbling across the white line of scar tissue in hesitant strokes. It was the one he'd received during the hi-jacking incident. He'd been lucky that time – the shrapnel hadn't pierced any major organs or arteries, but he couldn't understand why she was so fixated on it. His body was covered in scars – why did that one matter so much more than the others?

He abandoned her lips and kissed an exploratory trail down her cheek to her jaw and then the soft skin of her neck. She let out a near-silent gasp and her hands slipped round his back to pull him closer. Her breaths were hot and desperate against his neck and she lifted her hips to graze her center against his thigh. He hadn't expected that move either and felt his stomach somersault with anticipation.

Bracing himself on one arm he slowly explored her body with his free hand. His first few touches were cautious and shy. His eyes studied her intently, watching for any signs that he was doing something wrong. He half expected her dreaded harisan to whap him over the head at any moment, but she looked content while her hands continued their own quiet exploration.

The skin on her arms was soft to the touch, delicate and unblemished. _This is what a woman's body is supposed to feel like_, he thought appreciatively while skimming the tips of his fingers along her inner arm. His touch elicited a bevy of goose bumps across her skin which he smoothed away with a reverent kiss placed against her shoulder.

Her body responded to his touch, shifting and arching closer as quiet gasps and exhales escaped her lips. He'd never known it could be like this. A sort of giddy eagerness took hold of him and his touches became more exploratory, tentatively probing into uncharted territory.

As he navigated the gentle curve of her breast her hand slipped unseen between them. She hooked one finger into the waistband of his pants and made a teasing pass across the bottom of his stomach. He leaned into her touch despite himself and took a moment to catch his breath. He felt like a complete novice, fumbling blindly with uncertain, awkward movements and yet she seemed so at ease. Her touch felt confident against his skin, reassuring even, and yet it did nothing to stop the blood from rushing in his ears or the constricted feeling in his chest.

"Kaname…," he whispered her name against her skin but she paid him no mind. Her hands, those hands that were far bolder than he could ever hope to be, unhooked his belt and the top button of his pants. The zipper buzzed loudly as it was pulled apart and her hands delved tentatively into the open space, exploring with the newly exposed skin of his stomach and hips with a cautious touch.

Her hands trembled with nervous excitement as they slipped overtop his hips and along the slight curve at the small of his back. This was completely unknown territory. Her mind was still reeling over the fact that she'd so brazenly undone his pants. Just like that. And he'd let her. She swallowed hard, realizing with a grimace that her mouth felt uncomfortably dry again.

Her fingertips accidentally brushed against the top of his boxers and she hastily pulled away. A cold, nervous sweat broke out across her brow and the blood pounded in her ears. _Is it always this terrifying? _All she had to do was reach a little bit lower and _it _would be there. She gulped loudly. For the life of her she couldn't understand what she was so afraid of but her hand hesitated just the same.

He whispered her name gently, almost as though he was pleading with her. She loved the way it sounded when he said it. It filled her with a warm sensation that flooded outwards from the very pit of her stomach until it tingled at the tips of her toes. She pulled in a calming breath and indulged in a few more kisses.

A little more confident than before, her fingertips brushed along the waistband of his boxers. They followed it across the width of his body until it curved round his hips. The gentle touch of his hands against her skin and the playfulness of his tongue in her mouth gave her the last bit of encouragement she needed.

Following the taught muscles of his stomach, she slipped her fingers past the seam of his underwear and delved into uncharted territory. She swallowed hard as the tell-tale hardness hidden inside his boxers suddenly slipped beneath her fingers. She explored its smooth length tentatively with her fingertips, just once, before she lost her nerve and pulled away.

Above her Sousuke sucked in a sharp gasp and she bit her lip worriedly. Every muscle in his body seemed tense, as though he were a guitar string that'd been wound too tight. With an apologetic frown she moved her hands to safer territory. It took a few seconds, but he eventually opened his eyes and she felt herself blushing crimson beneath his gaze.

"I'm sorry," he apologized abruptly and she started, her eyes blinking wide at him.

"I wasn't expecting...You can…I mean, it's okay if you…" his words died a quiet death and he nervously looked away from her.

It took a moment of staring up at him to realize that he wasn't going to say any more on the matter. He remained mute, his words stuck in his throat just as hers were. Watching him carefully, she slid her hand slowly down his stomach once more. His body was tense and his breaths seemed rapid and unsteady. The hand that'd been caressing her body now clutched the sheets next to her in a near-death grip. He didn't close his eyes until her fingertips brushed over top that same hard spot. A nearly-silent gasp escaped him and a tiny shudder shivered across his shoulders.

"Am I…doing it right?" she asked hesitantly, moving her hand over in him with slow, rhythmic strokes. He breathed a heavy sigh before nodding and opening his eyes. When he looked at her a quirky sort of half-smile was on his lips again.

"Affirmative."

Kaname smiled in spite of herself and slipped her free hand around his neck to pull his lips down to hers. The moment they met a soft moan escaped him and his hips pressed needily against her hand. His reaction to her touch, the way he seemed so desperate for it, made the heat pool between her thighs.

When he pulled away from their kiss her eyes wandered appreciatively over the features of his face, studying his frown of concentration with interest. She'd never seen him like this before. He seemed so different in this state. He was so completely at her mercy that she almost felt sorry for him.

Reaching down, he gently pulled her hand away and pressed it against the bed spread next to her head. She smiled tentatively, unsure why he'd stopped her.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, nibbling worriedly at her bottom lip.

He shook his head and his lips brushed her cheek. "It's…not a problem."

She was looking at him with a dubious frown when he opened his eyes, her gaze swimming with worry and doubt. How could he reassure her? How could he explain that her touch had set him on fire and shocked his senses to the point where he could barely tolerate it? His body was still throbbing, aching, and twitching in spite of his attempts to control it. With one hand she'd disarmed him and brought him to his knees. And now that he was there, he was more than willing to be her prisoner a little while longer.

Following the lines of her body, he mapped out her curves with his lips, his hands moving steadily closer to their goal. They stopped at the hem of her shorts and he glanced up at her questioningly. She nodded her head after a second, giving him permission to proceed. With hands that trembled slightly, he undid the button on her shorts and slowly pulled them down her body. Slipping them off her feet, he folded them perfunctorily and laid them to the side.

He could feel her eyes on him as he removed what was left of his clothes. Being aware of the fact that he was in prime physical condition, he'd never found cause to be insecure about his body before but that didn't mean he was overconfident about it either. There was a significant difference between stripping down in the locker room after a mission and disrobing before a girl like Kaname. His face felt hot when he crawled back toward her and he knew he had to be blushing something fierce.

Positioning himself overtop of her like before, he caressed the side of her cheek with his thumb and ghosted his fingers along her hairline. She was breathtaking. The delicate pink blush of her skin and intimate way she laid so trustingly beneath him made his mouth run dry. How could she want someone like him? She'd said it herself – he was the last person in the world any girl would want as a boyfriend. His thumb brushed over her full lips and she kissed it absently.

_Kaname…why me?_

Holding her gaze, he slid his hand slowly up the length of one of her toned thighs. He moved cautiously, determined not to rush. Her hand unexpectedly joined his, resting overtop of it to guide his movements with a gentle pressure. When he reached the top of her leg where the skin was softest, he bent his head and captured her lips.

She responded to him almost instantly, arching her hips against him while her tongue darting out to tease his. Reassured by her acceptance, he hooked his hands beneath her knees and pulled her toward him until he was nestled at her naked entrance. There he stopped to catch his breath, the gravity of their positions suddenly making his head reel. He pulled away from her comforting touch and sucked in a shaky breath.

"Are you ready?" he prodded her quietly, though it felt more like he was asking himself that question. He'd realized quite suddenly that there was no going back after this. Things would change between them. It was the question of whether they would be good changes or bad that had him worried.

Kaname slid her hand up his forearm and gently grasped hold.

"Yeah," she confided. Seeming to sense his anxiety she added, "Are you?"

He nodded unsteadily.

"I trust you Sousuke," she said with a sense of finality and gave him an encouraging smile.

_What is this feeling?_

He gazed down at her smile and the trust in her eyes. The look she was giving him…his stomach twisted at the thought of her bestowing it upon anyone else. He wanted her for himself. He'd never felt this tension before, this feeling of…was it jealousy?

His heart thumped hard with anxiety now and that other feeling he had such trouble defining. It was comforting and spread outwards slowly from his center to warm him, like the touch of a fire's glow on a cold night. The sensation grew stronger when she smiled at him like she was doing now and when they touched; when they laid together on her couch and held hands; when he caught her gazing at him when she thought he wasn't looking and vice versa. In all these months he'd spent at her side that feeling had only grown stronger.

_This feeling…is it love?_

All at once the answer came to him and the invisible weight of ignorance was lifted from his shoulders. _Yes. I love her, _he admitted quietly to himself for the first time.

She blinked up at him and her fingertips brushed feather light along his jaw. There was tenderness in his gaze as he studied the delicate features of her face. For him, it wasn't simple at all. He loved her, he knew that now, yet the his honest confession would not emerge. The moment her eyes met his, his courage failed him.

Feeling like a coward, he bowed his head and brushed his lips apologetically against hers, all the while thinking _I love you, Kaname Chidori_. He thought this as their lips touched and as he ran his hand down the smooth skin of her side. He thought it as her lips pressed warm and pliant against his and her hands lightly skimmed his naked chest.

He thought it as he slowly entered her willing body and she gasped and tensed beneath him. He moved inside of her with a gentle rhythm, inwardly cringing at the thought of having caused her any pain. After a moment she relaxed beneath him and began to move as well, arching her body into his embrace.

Her touch felt like fire as her hands moved across his skin, slipping down his ribs, sliding up his back, curling around his shoulders. Her inferno was slowly consuming him - from the sparks of her kisses and the insistent playfulness of her tongue to the scorching, encompassing heat of her core - and he bowed to it, helpless to do anything more.

His body felt overloaded with sensation, her touch, her taste, her smell, the maddening pull of her warm, wet heat; he could feel himself slowly losing control. With a strangled moan he tore his lips from hers and pressed his forehead against her shoulder, panting hard.

It was too overwhelming to try and process all at once. He closed his eyes to fight the sensations, to escape the maddening, dizzy pull, but he couldn't evade it. Even now, the soft skin of her shoulder called to him and he brushed his lips against it. She whispered his name and slipped her fingers through his hair sending electric shivers jetting down his spine.

He opened his eyes and gazed at the girl, the goddess, beneath him and pulled in a shaky breath. His entire body was tense, every muscle tight, coiled in and around itself like a spring. In the pit of his stomach was where he felt it worst of all. Every time he pushed his body into her welcoming embrace, every time he made them one, the coil wound ever tighter. As her lips found his neck he wondered if she felt it too - that same half-maddened anticipation, the same impending loss of control. Though her cheeks were flushed and her gaze was half-lidded she didn't appear to be fighting it like he was.

Terrified that he was doing something wrong, he stopped suddenly, holding himself still inside of her. He was breathing heavily now, like he'd just run a marathon and his muscles were beginning to cramp from the strain of holding back. He was thankful when she pulled away and gazed up at him, a troubled frown on her face.

"Sousuke?"

Robbed of all his words he stared down at her imploringly, his expression communicating his secret fear of failure. After studying his eyes a moment she brought her hand up and brushed the back of her fingers across his cheek. His eyes fluttered closed at the gesture and a moment later it was gone, replaced by the soft touch of her lips.

"Please don't stop," she whispered between kisses and arched her hips against his, pulling him deeper inside.

The breath escaped from his lungs at the unexpected movement and he imitated it, rolling his hips slowly against her until she gasped with pleasure. Her teeth nibbled lightly against his bottom lip and with a quiet moan he slipped back into the rhythm of their lovemaking. Within seconds he could feel it building within him again - the anticipation, the tension, the emotions churning together. Each thrust brought him closer to the edge. The needy press of her fingers into the muscles of his back and her lips on his throat left him fighting desperately against his body's demands for release.

When her body suddenly tensed around his, shaking and shivering beneath him, and his name slipped from her lips in a breathy gasp of ecstasy, he realized that he was fighting a losing battle. She'd pushed him to the brink and with her innermost muscles pulsing around him he accepted his fate and threw himself off of it, ready to join her in oblivion.

Kaname's muscles were still limp and her body tingling when he lifted his head from her shoulder, pressed a meaningful kiss against her swollen lips, and lay down beside her. He pulled her into his side with his arm around her body until she was nestled against his chest. With careful movements he pulled the blanket overtop of them both to keep her warm.

Her thumb brushed over the taut peak of one of his nipples before her arm wound round his torso. She rested her cheek against his shoulder and draped one leg over his, curling into him with a contented smile on her lips. A feeling of euphoric calm had overtaken her, leaving her mind blank and her senses dulled. She was quite content to remain entwined with him forever.

Eventually the rhythm of his heart in her ear returned to its usual steady pace and the sounds of the outside world slowly crept back in. The hum of the city streets drifted through the crack in her window where the air conditioner sat silent. It was a calm night, hardly any traffic at all. A whisper of cool air brushed against the tip of her exposed shoulder, the only part of her not covered by the blanket, and she shivered in spite of herself.

"Are you cold?" Sousuke asked attentively, breaking the long-standing silence between them. She nestled closer to his warmth and shimmied further under the blanket before shaking her head.

"No. I'm alright."

She felt him nod and the backs of his fingers traced her spine in an unconscious gesture. Her own hand dragged along the smooth lines of his stomach before coming to a rest next to her cheek, just overtop his heart. His body felt so warm beneath her hands, almost like he was lit from within by a furnace.

For a moment she wondered if she should thank him, but quickly dismissed the idea as stupid and immature.

"Sousuke?"

"Hm?"

She could feel his eyes on her and kept her gaze averted. Her old feelings of shyness and self-consciousness slowly returned as the afterglow faded.

"What…what are you thinking about?"

It was a stupid question really. She regretted it the moment it left her lips and yet she waited anxiously for his answer because she didn't know what else to do. She didn't know what was supposed to come next or what you were supposed to say after. Romance novels and movies never went into what happens in those first moments afterwards – everyone simply wakes up the next morning smiling and cheerful, or the story picks up a few days down the road. Her fingers drew tiny circles against his skin as she waited.

"I was just thinking…" he began, sounding as though he was still somewhat lost in his thoughts. Kaname glanced up at him expectantly but his eyes were focused on the ceiling.

"I was thinking that I know what it feels like to have a home now." He met her gaze with a sincere look. "This city, being here with you…this feels like home to me. Is it wrong to think that?"

His eyes darkened with a glimmer of self-doubt and Kaname instantly wanted to dispel it. She liked this Sousuke. He wasn't blowing things up or hunting down terrorists. He wasn't stumbling over his words and annoying her with his antics. He wasn't a soldier or a secret mercenary and she wasn't a Whispered. For now, in this moment at least, he was just a boy and she was just a normal high school girl.

She smiled at him as she shook her head. The warmth in her smile was evident when she spoke, "No. It's not wrong to think that. Being here with you…it feels like home to me too."

He nodded once and relief washed over his features. Pulling her in close, he pressed a fleeting kiss against her forehead. With a quiet understanding they both accepted that nothing else needed to be said.

Curled up at his side and enveloped by his soothing warmth, Kaname's eyes began to flutter and drift closed. The playful touch of her fingertips against his chest gradually halted and her breaths became slow and even. With the comforting weight of Sousuke's arms wrapped around her, she succumbed to the heavy pull of sleep and he followed not long after.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

I apologize for taking as long as I did to come out with this chapter! Grad school hasn't been kind to me free time wise. Hopefully you all enjoyed the third and final instalment of 'Breathless'.

I am humbled and honoured by the reception this little ficlet has received. Thank you to everyone for your kind reviews and words of support. Hopefully I didn't let you down! To everyone else who read this, favoured it or recommended it to a friend, you have my sincere gratitude.

Thank you!

- Langus


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